Jhokalups – Field Operation Action Report – 19

Jhokalups – Field Operation Action Report – 19

Foreign Company vs Varuna

300 / ITS X – Power Pack – Red Deck

Back at game night playing against Xammy and his VIRD again. This week our Warcor, WiseKensai suggested that we all play the same scenario so that we can make comparisons about our experiences.

Wip Roll

Foreign Company 19

Varuna 13
Decision: Jhokalups
Deployment: Jhokalups
Initiative: Xammy
1st Turn: Xammy
1st Deploy: Xammy

Varuna List:

Foreign Company List:

I recently got a box to carry the apartments in, which makes them easier to set up for game night. Bringing them in we set up the apartments with a main road running diagonally down the middle. There was an industrial construction and a small park in opposite corners, and some containers interrupting the middle fire lane. Looking at the sides there was one that let me set up with two sides up high. So I picked that one. After reviewing everything we got underway.

Deployment:

Xammy spent a long time thinking about his deployment. The apartment buildings present a deceptive challenge to deployment. The table looks more open than it is. And the places where it is really open are unexpected. Power Pack provides additional challenges by taking a large chunk out of the middle. Eventually Xammy put his Kamau Fusilier link into the large apartment on my right. Some Camo Markers on the Ground in and around the building. On top of that building there was a warcor looking at everything. A techbee was inside the building linked to the Xenotech. In the building on his right Xammy had a few more camo markers. A healot and two Zulu Cobras, the jammer and killer hacker. There was another Fusilier in the back on my right.

I set my Kriza up on the roof of the apartment on my left, linked to the Xenotech. I deployed my Securitate link in and around the same building, the Feuerbach on an awning to the right. I had my FO Zero in that same apartment prone and far forward on the first floor. My Zero KHD was on the middle floor of a central apartment with two of the antennas in it’s zone of control. I held Hannibal and the haris back with strategic deployment and distributed them on the construction platform on my right. I had the Fugazi further back on the same platform.

Top of 1: VIRD

At the start of this turn I removed two regular orders from the pool with the Xenotech. This proved advantageous as it was the group that had all of the AD units that I totally should have been expecting, but wasn’t. Starting things off the Tech Bee Moved the Xenotech towards the saturation zone. Then the Fusilier link started moving around. With one of the second orders the Multi-Sniper Kamau popped up to the roof on an elevator. The Hidden Deploy Crocman (As played by a Spektr) revealed to take a free shot at the Kamau, blowing it off the table. Next an Echo Bravo walks on behind my Crocman and takes it out. Xammy then reveals his own Crocman and takes the middle antenna. A Zulu-Cobra reveals itself and puts my Bolt ML and my Fugazi into unconsciousness. A second Echo Bravo walks on and sends a Wild Parrot into my link team. With not enough orders to set it off like he would like to (Rose City Raid Terrain Rules), the Echo Bravo sets up to watch the Antenna on my left. Without a lot else to do with the orders some camo shuffles around and Xammy passes turn.

Bottom of 1: ForCo

To start things off, I move my Zero FO into group 1 with a command token. I plan on using him to clear the Wild Parrot and free up the link team. This month is all about close combat, so I want to get Senor Massacre over to go whap some dudes. I start off moving a little and throwing some smoke to block the Echo Bravo. Then throw smoke to block the Zulu Cobra that took out my bolt. That done Senor Massacre walks across to be behind that zone. At this point I notice that I had left a small gap between a rock and my Eclipse zone, letting a Fusilier get an ARO on Senor Massacre. Senor Massacre loses the face to face, fails the armor roll and falls unconscious. Fortunately where he wound up is out of los of that pesky Fusilier, so I attempt regeneration, get the roll I wanted for Armor, and Senor Massacre dies. I switch sides and have the Zero FO go over to clear out the parrot, which I thought was a perimeter weapon, but was an E/M mine that walked. The Zero Fails to dodge, but makes it’s BTS then goes and drops a mine to look out at the Echo Bravo on my corner. I walk the link a little bit forward, but am unable to trigger the right ARO for the Echo Bravo. After walking my Kriza forward to have the Xenotech place the multiscanner and take out a Warcor, I pass turn.

Score at End of 1: 2 – 3 VIRD Favor

Top of 2: VIRD

On this turn, Xammy spent the Tech-Bee’s irregular to place the multi scanner. The Fusilier link did a couple spec fires, but where unable to eliminate Hannibal. They eventually maneuvered to get a FO into base with the antenna and activate it. A camo marker on my left side advanced over to the antenna on my left. It revealed and took out my FO Zero before basing the Antenna on my left. When Xammy was reminded that in Power Pack you could only ever have two of the antennas controlled, he elected not to have the Zulu Cobra Killer hacker take that antenna. The last few orders trying to jam my Kriza, who successfully avoided getting isolated. Putting a couple models into suppression, Xammy passes turn.

Bottom of 2: ForCo

So, I know that I have two Antenna that I want to secure. I would prefer the one on my left and the middle, since those are easier to protect. I activate the Securitate link, jumping the feuerbach down and advancing towards the Killer Hacker, hoping to take it out and flip the antenna. The First CSU that gets in range is jammed and out of the link. The next model I sent in was a CSU outside of jam range, who died to the Zulu Cobra, breaking the link. I refrormed the link and Tried to send the Feuerbach against that Zulu Cobra with a pistol. I lose the Feuerbach as well. At this point I am fairly discouraged. I have lost the majority of my link team to stupid mistakes and tunnel vision. I am tempted to call the game there. After taking a minute and looking at the board I notice that my Zero KHD could get normal rolls onto the two Zulu Cobras that I had crashed the link team into. I used that Zero to remove the Jammer. I try to have it take out the Zulu KHD as well but fail that one. I then use my LT order to set up to cover the rest of the board and remove some pesky Helots. I also have Hannibal stand up and take a shot at the Fusilier FO and Zulu Cobra on my right. I remove the Zulu Cobra but the fusilier remains.

Score at End of 2: 2 – 6 VIRD Favor

Top of 3: VIRD

I remind Xammy at the end of my turn or the start of his, that my CSU is isolated, not dead, which means it could get to the antenna and flip it to my side. So Xammy spends his turn trying to set up to make sure that doesn’t happen. A tech-bee dies trying to get into a spot to flash pulse things. Xammy’s croc man puts down more mines and tries to take out the Kriza, several times. The Zulu Cobra KHD attempts to walk around to get into the building and take out the very close CSU. But is blocked by another CSU. And an Echo Bravo goes in to base my console. Before the Fusilier goes into suppressive fire on the antenna on my right.

Bottom of 3: ForCo

Alright, it’s hero time! Not really, the Isolated CSU attempts to flip the antenna on my left, she gets to the antenna, but fails the WIP roll and dies. Next I try to have my Zero KHD get to the middle antenna. I use an elevator and walk. Then walk into base with the antenna and attempt to flip it while tanking a mine. The Zero KHD fails at both. Next I have the Kriza use his LT order to try and take out the Echo Bravo, but fail. It takes a regular. At this point I don’t have enough orders to successfully get to and flip any antennas that Xammy controls. I end my turn.

Final Score: 7 – 3 Varuna Minor Victory

Lessons Learned:

Before starting a turn, look at all the assets available. Had I remembered and used my killer Hacker to take out the Jammer Cobra before advancing my link, I could have easily used the link to secure my left antenna, and put considerable third turn pressure on Xammy to deal with a link team with three specialists. When we realized what happened, Xammy offered to let me roll back the turn and start over. I decided not to, because the harness of the lesson will better stick. The checklist was fine, but I didn’t fully assess where everything was before running team in to die.

I am glad that I lost this game. Had I managed the Hail Mary win I would not have learned as many lessons. And I certainly would not have deserved it. Going second on Power Pack is a very powerful choice. Having to defend the antennas through a turn where last ditch efforts can easily strip your lead away is difficult. I think Xammy played it fairly well. Though putting a mine on the other side of an awning instead of shooting at the Kriza would probably have fully stopped any chance of taking the middle objective. I guess the lesson here is that if you are going first you need to have a good coverage net of your two antennas that lets you ARO models further out than one short move into the antenna. Overall it was a good game and I look forward to playing Xammy again.